Tu Jing: "What are we promoting?"
"My identity, and my treatment process."
"Didn't you say you wanted to keep a low profile?"
"Tsk," Cheng Qingshan glared at him. "Just go do as you're told. You're so inflexible. No wonder no female comrades like you."
Tu Jing: "..."
That was a low blow.
When Lin Zhilan went home, she brought a batch of medicine for Liu Chunhua.
Liu Chunhua had told her that because her family was poor when she was young, she didn't have many clothes to change into. She often wore her pants before they were completely dry, which led to severe pain in her legs and feet whenever it was windy or rainy now.
"Dr. Lin, how much is this going to cost?" Liu Chunhua asked hesitantly.
Ma Daniu was a regiment commander, so his allowance wasn't low.
But they had three sons to raise, and they had to send a third of his income back to their hometown every month, so their life wasn't exactly well-off.
The pain in her legs could be endured.
But having no money was what would really drive a person to the brink.
Lin Zhilan smiled. "Sister Chunhua, I'm not charging you. But you have to promise me that if it works well, you'll help me spread the word."
There were no other marketing channels available right now.
The best advertisement was word of mouth.
Liu Chunhua, with her big mouth and extraordinary eloquence, was chosen by Lin Zhilan as her spokesperson.
In the hospital, there were Director Liu and Zhu Weidong. In the military base, there was Tu Jing who trained every day. And among the military wives, there was Liu Chunhua.
Whether people believed it or not, the reputation of this medicinal paste had successfully been established.
Zhu Weidong was only three years younger than the director, making him fifty-seven this year.
Usually, after doing one or two surgeries in a row, he would have to be carried off the operating floor.
But these past two days, he was completely fine, his legs even more agile than a young man's.
When others asked, Zhu Weidong would say, "I just applied Dr. Lin's medicinal paste from the Traditional Chinese Medicine department."
After saying that, he would highly recommend it. "This medicine is really good. Go try it if you don't believe me."
The person laughed, "But I don't have rheumatism."
"Dr. Lin said this paste can dispel wind and remove dampness, promote blood circulation, and relieve pain. Besides rheumatism, it can also treat bruises, lumbar disc herniation, cervical spondylosis, tenosynovitis..."
The more he talked, the less people believed him.
It wasn't some miracle drug. The more he praised it, the more unreliable it sounded.
Zhu Weidong kicked his legs. Believe it or not, it was up to them.
He had heard that Commander Cheng's orderly bought ten batches of the medicine from the TCM department.
Now that was someone who knew a good thing when they saw it.
After work, Lin Zhilan took her two children home.
Liu Chunhua happened to be chatting at the entrance of the family residential building. Seeing her, she immediately called out, "Dr. Lin, come over here! I was just talking about your medicinal paste."
Lin Zhilan walked over. "Sister-in-law, did you feel any better after using it?"
The weather wasn't cold today. She wore a thin shirt tucked into her skirt, making her waist look especially slender.
Her long hair was casually tied into a braid resting on her shoulder. Her skin was so translucent it looked like it could be pinched to yield water. With dark hair and fair skin, she looked graceful and beautiful.
The military wives gasped in awe.
Oh my, how did Regiment Commander Su's wife grow up to be this gorgeous?
Lin Zhilan didn't socialize much. Apart from her two neighbors, she basically had no interaction with the other military dependents in the compound.
Plus, after she cornered Huang Ying and Jiang Xiaohong in the stairwell last time, most of the military wives didn't dare provoke her.
Seeing her approach, they only smiled awkwardly and greeted her.
Liu Chunhua said to the crowd, "Dr. Lin's medical skills are truly excellent. I used her medicinal paste and didn't wake up from pain even once last night. If any of you need it, you can ask her to take a look."
Liu Chunhua and Lin Zhilan had a good relationship, so everyone exchanged smiles, thinking Liu Chunhua was just trying to solicit customers for Lin Zhilan. They casually agreed, having no intention of buying.
To increase credibility, Lin Zhilan had to tell a little white lie. "This medicine is an ancestral secret recipe. It can treat rheumatism and back and leg pain. If you need it, just come find me at the TCM department."
"Dr. Lin, I heard this medicine costs five yuan?"
"Yes."
"Tsk, tsk, that's way too expensive."
Five yuan could buy seven or eight catties of pork.
Liu Chunhua said, "It's a bit pricey, but it works! I've only used it for three days. Usually, my legs and feet would be stiff for a while in the mornings, but now I don't feel any discomfort at all. Dr. Lin said this paste can cure rheumatism at its root. With proper care, it won't relapse in the future."
Liu Chunhua actually felt it was expensive too. If Lin Zhilan hadn't given her a batch for free, she wouldn't have bought it either.
But after using it, it was definitely worth the price.
The military wives exchanged glances and muttered softly, "Just applying a paste for five days can cure rheumatism?"
"Maybe it only works for a few days."
"With five yuan, you'd be better off buying some anti-inflammatory painkillers from the hospital. The effect would be even better." A young woman with a righteous face punctured Liu Chunhua's claims. "Sister-in-law Liu, even if you're a shill, you shouldn't exaggerate this much. Saying it can cure rheumatism at its root just sounds too fake."
Liu Chunhua was so angry she almost spat blood. "Who's a shill? Don't spout nonsense. I used it myself and it really is good."
The young woman shrugged. "Nowadays, if you want to see a doctor, you should still go to Western medicine. Don't just believe whatever others tell you."
Lin Zhilan sized up this young woman.
She looked to be in her early twenties. She wasn't tall and her skin wasn't very good, with quite a few pimples on her cheeks and chin. Her forehead was covered by thick bangs, making it hard to see clearly.
Her face was round, and her eyes were big, round, and bright.
What a pity.
Lin Zhilan sighed softly. The young girl's eyes were filled with nothing but clear, pure foolishness.
Even if others didn't believe it, they wouldn't say it out loud. But her? Right in front of the creator, she bluntly claimed the medicine was bad and insisted Liu Chunhua was a shill.
Even if she had good intentions, she was too foolish and completely lacked emotional intelligence.
Unable to win the argument, Liu Chunhua whispered in Lin Zhilan's ear, "Why don't you lower the price a bit first? Once they try it and know it's good, you can raise it back up."
"Sister-in-law, my medicine is worth this price. It's already set."
It is easy to lower prices but hard to raise them.
Lin Zhilan wasn't going to dig a hole for herself.
Just as she was about to leave, Jiang Chengzhou hurriedly ran over. "Auntie, come quickly! Qiangzi's arm is broken!"
There was a large playground in front of the family residential building, with a few trees planted next to it. Several naughty children had gathered to climb the trees while the adults weren't paying attention.
Qiangzi was the most agile, and he scrambled up in a flash.
To make room for the friends coming up behind him, he stepped on a nearby branch. As a result, the branch couldn't bear the weight and suddenly snapped. Qiangzi fell straight down and burst into loud wails.
Everyone hurriedly ran over.
They saw the little boy clutching his right arm, his small face pale from the pain, his mouth wide open as he howled.
A woman with messy hair, wearing a washed-out blue cloth shirt, rushed over, furious and anxious. "I told you not to climb trees! I told you not to! Can't you just give me a moment of peace!"
She raised her hand, wanting to hit the child. Lin Zhilan frowned, taking a quick step to block her, and said sternly, "Don't move! Now is not the time to teach the child a lesson!"
The woman was halted by her shout and slumped onto the ground.
Lin Zhilan crouched down and said gently to Qiangzi, "Don't be afraid. Let Auntie take a look."
